The Bronze Bells
by Kid9535
Summary: After 5 days, I've finished a 4 chapter story about L's influence, but I'm posting with every 3 reviews. So you better review. And yes, this is an OC one. It's a guy, not gay, and only 'family' kind.
1. The Bronze Bells

A/N: I hope this story makes you crrryy!! I'm joking. I'll be evil and wait for at least 3 reviews to come in before I post the next chapter. :D SO EVIL! I've actually finished it. 4 chappies in all. You guys better review or I WON'T POST THE REST!

Myouu has no say in this even though this fic is dedicated to her because she left our school. I sent her the entire thing through email already. It's mega short.

Summary: L's childhood, he was adopted. Before Wammy's of course.

Disclaimer: I own nothing and especially not Death Note, but I do own this character.

**The Bronze Bells**

He closed his eyes and listened, standing as the rain's drumming rhythmic beat slowly faded away and was replaced by bells. Church bells ringing like there was no tomorrow. The everlasting sound of brass against brass echoing through the darkness in clear simultaneous clangs. He was so enraptured by the ringing that he almost failed to notice the presence of the 3 year old child prodigy.

He tilted his head to the direction of his assistant and gave him an empty stare. The child seemed to be talking to him yet he could not catch what he was saying. The ringing was just too loud. There was a blinding flash of light in the distance as he mind slowly registered it as positive and negative particles in the sky colliding with each brush of rain.

There was a small flash of black, something he could only describe as unruly hair, and suddenly, he found the small child latched onto him. He was jolted out of his daze as his attention turned back to comforting this frail child.

Running his pale slender fingers through the boy's hair, he wondered briefly if he knew what was going on. His thoughts were interrupted once more by said boy.

"Karu-niisan…"

"What is it, Ru-chan?"

"You're not gonna be alive after this are you?" Sharp, as he had always been.

"Yeah."

"I'm going to that orphanage for those smart kids right?"

"Yeah."

"…Are you sure this plan will work?"

"Which? You mean yours? Or mine?"

"Yours."

"Oh. Well, I'm about 99.999 sure. The remainder is up to fate." Heh. It always annoyed the kid when he mentioned fate. Yup, there was the reaction, a faint glimmer in those owlish panda eyes.

"Did you hear them again?" Changing the subject are we? The young man thought wryly.

"Yeah…"

"They sound lovely but ominous."

"Uh huh, probably for a funeral. Or maybe it's a joyous occasion, like a wedding."

"I don't think so…"

Silence fell over them like a thick heavy blanket; the rain rang in their ears, the consistent pattering of the droplets against the cement.

He knew Ru-chan understood his plan and would not get in his way. There was no other way to stop them after all. Justice always came first; even Ru-chan knew that in order to stop the bad guys, a sacrifice would have to be made. Usually it would be brainpower, brain cells and hours and hours of sleep. Other times, it would be sanity. The most rare, yet most common, would be lives.

These would be one of those rare times.

It would be alright though, because Ru-chan was practically 5 already. Besides, he could move into an orphanage he knew of for smart kids. He'd fit right in. It wasn't like Ru-chan suffered from separation anxiety.

It comforted him, the fact that Ru-chan would not ask anything impossible of him. Ru-chan was exceptionally bright for his age and would understand something at even the slightest hint. It would be simple for his parting. He'd already explained the procedure to Ru-chan with the knowledge that he memorized it by heart the first time.

He glanced down at the boy and gave a small, sad smile. The child looked up with wide eyes and blinked.

"Now, I don't have anyone." He wasn't expecting that.

"…not really. You still have me. Only, I'll be here until," he checked his watch before replying again. "I'd say about 7:34:21 p.m. today." He grinned.

Ru-chan blinked before answering, "That means I have only 30 minutes and 41 seconds to enjoy your time here, right?"

"Yup, so enjoy while you can, kiddo." He allowed a bitter laugh to escape his chapped lips. "Now, let's go inside so we can dry you off. You'll catch a cold."

The small boy complied and he led him by the hand into the cold grey building.

To Be Continued…

A/N: MWA HAHA, I'm so evil. So press da review button and unless I see at least 3 reviews, I'll not post the next chapter. And yes, I like Ru-chan because it's Eru, in short form. Cute right?


	2. Fluffly White Towels

Fluffy White Towels

He grabbed a few white fluffy towels off the shelf and started toweling Ru-chan off. The soft cottony feeling against his fingers gave him a feeling of nostalgia, he gave a small wry smile, it was just like the first time he'd met Ru-chan.

_He was headed home from a crime scene he'd been checking out of late, there wasn't much to confirm, except for the single scrap of paper and trace of a scuffle, things seemed much clearer then. He'd arrested the man on the spot, stabbing him through the head with solid evidence. Too easy. _

_It wasn't until he reached 5__th__ street that the snow started falling in small flakes, tiny frozen crystals dancing in the air. It also wasn't until then did he see the kid. _

"_Hey kiddo, what are you doing out here?"_

"…"

"_Hey kid!" Screw it, the kid didn't even look like he was listening, much less be able to respond. He strode up to the boy and tapped him on the shoulder. The boy, wrapped in a thin piece of cloth not worthy to be called a coat, turned and stared blankly at him. His raven hair stuck out in a single direction as if some crazy wind had blown it to one side. Ebony eyes stared up at him with utmost innocence and wonder. _

_He just furrowed his eyebrows as he silently scrutinized the kid no higher than his waist. _

_This was just freaking crazy, how could a kid not older than 3 years old be out in the streets in weather like this? He watched as the snowflakes continued to fall at a moderate rate, it would soon come down in sleets but he couldn't wait that long. A layer of frost was beginning to form on the small boy's hair. He decided all questions of family and their absence could wait until they got out of that freezing cold. _

_With an outstretched hand, he wordlessly gestured for the boy to take his hand. No trace of readable emotion or hesitation formed on the boy's face as he took his hand. _

_The streets were bare as no person in the right mind would be out in that weather. But he was sure that if there were people, they'd all be staring at that odd pair walking through the streets. _

_A 20-something year old man with a stubble chin, murky brown eyes and a mop of raven hair holding the hand of a 3 year-old boy with owl-like eyes and a crown of ebony locks on his head wearing what could only be identified as tattered rags. _

_They were an odd pair alright; little did they know that it was going to stay like that for a long time._

_When they reached the apartment, he plucked a few fluffy towels off the shelf and started to wipe off the frost from the boy's hair. The cotton tickled and played with his fingers as he toweled off the hair of a frail child who seemingly had no one else to turn to._

Like now, he thought. Gently massaging the scalp of the small boy's hair, his memories came to an abrupt halt as the clock in the living room chimed 7.15 p.m.

He lifted the towel from Ru-chan's hair and tossed it aside, smiling at the boy.

"Looks like it's time kiddo."

The child nodded slowly and changed swiftly before shuffling into a nearby elevator where he pressed the button labeled security room. He waved a small hand at the man who'd been his caretaker for the last two years as the cold metal doors closed with a sickening clang.

Ru-chan slumped to the ground in the corner of the lavish elevator, the bright lights hurt his eyes and the rug smelt funny. He buried his head in his arms and let the tears falls like streams down his pale face.

A/N: I wanna scrap this, I really feel like scrapping it. It totally sucks. I haven't got more than 3 reviews. I wanna die. And I'm failing!


	3. The Security Room

The Security Room

He watched with blank eyes as the lights slowly moved from one plastic frame to another. The tears had long stopped falling; still a fairly large wet patch remained on the maroon carpet. After what seemed like an eternity, the lights moved to the words 'Security Room'.

The metals doors slowly creaked open and he stumbled into a grayish dark corridor where millions of screens blinked and flicked in the dim light of its opposite kin. Images of the building, interior or exterior, left right front center, every single floor imaginable was displayed and monitored in each and every screen. It was pretty impressive considering that the apartment was in a building of 30 floors.

Out of the corner of one screen, there was a growing mob of people. In another screen, there was a man traveling up the elevator to _his _room. He pressed a series of codes from the keypad on the wall and listened with a blank expression as the computed voice announced the deactivation of admittance to the security room.

He paused for a moment to take note of the screen numbers and resumed his walk to the main viewing room, a steel door with a sign hung over the smooth surface proclaiming in red block letters 'NO ADMITTANCE'. He took out a small key and fingered it as he unlocked the door and stepped inside where he underwent a few retina, voice and handprint tests before he gained full access.

He stepped into a dark room where there were less screens and a single chair to view them all. He sat on the chair and it was a little cramped in the room so he brought his knees up to his chest and hugged them close, like a shield around his small frame. He did that often, but not too frequently because Karu-niisan sometimes made fun of him. Reaching out to key in the screen numbers, he checked the small digital clock on the control panel. Screaming out the time in green digital numbers 7:30:45 p.m. He chewed on his lip and took out a sweet from the secret stash he had stored for him and after a brief moment of ripping off the wrapper, he popped the sweet into his mouth and sucked. Grape. Sweets always helped calm him down, it never made him hyper like those freaky animated cartoon animals advertising for cereals he never bothered to purchase.

The people in the screens moved around, he lip-read the ones in _his _room. Just like onii-san planned.

"_So, you're here. Right on time."_

"_That's right."_

"_You'll be caught soon, you know."_

"_Like hell, what have you got against me? In a few moments a mob of believers will storm into the building and destroy all evidence in their frenzy. Then you and that brat will die. Where is he anyway?"_

"_That does not concern you, but believe me you will be caught."_

"_Hah! You have nothing against me!"_

"_I know you were the one who called the last time, the evidence you left behind was too careless to have been you and judging by the look on your face, I guess I'm right. Everything you said did and predicted were all just red herrings. You thought you could clear your name by putting yourself under house arrest but that just raises my suspicion."_

"_You may be right, but that soesn't mean it's going to stop me from-" _

The stranger was holding a black rectangle and a pen in his hand. The rectangle seemed to be a notebook as the man flipped it open and started to scribble something in it.

7:34:21 p.m. He dropped dead.

The stranger began to laugh.

The boy let out a small strangled noise then fell silent.

Clutching his tiny shoulders, he began to weep.

To be continued…

A/N: Why do I get the feeling this sucks bad? Stupid parallels!


	4. Expectations

Only moments later, police stormed into the building. They'd seen enough.

The riot police arrived with their plastic shields and armored uniforms.

The rest of the events passed like a blur, a small boy was later found unconscious in the security room, and the tape was on a loop. It kept replaying the scene where he died.

The short 40 seconds in between the part where the stranger wrote down the in the book till the time the man dropped dead. It played in slow motion; he clutched his chest and crumbled to the floor. One could barely make out the words of victory forming on his lips 'We did it, Ru-chan!'

With his eyes wide open and glazed over with a layer of salty liquid, the boy was taken away to a hospital to be treated for shock and later kept overnight for observation.

A day later, the boy snuck out of the hospital, causing turmoil and panic amongst the doctors and nurses.

He was found a few days later crouched beside a single gravestone in a cemetery, clutching a red rose on the tablet. The slab was completely blank, except for a single sentence 'Here lies Justice' along with a single letter 'K'.

The tears flowed silently and swiftly down the pale thin boy's cheeks as he stood, took one last glance at the cold rock and turned on his heel, never looking back again.

He knew he'd never be able to even come close to the world's greatest detective.

The world barely knew him yet acknowledged his existence. Now that he was gone, his name faded into the oblivion it hadn't even left. It was never remembered, never forgotten.

Now as he stood in front of Wammy's House, the cold steel gate separating him from the institution he'd be staying at for the rest of his childhood, he heard the church bells ringing.

Ringing for the loss of the forgotten detective who died only weeks ago.

Ringing for the celebration of his new life.

Ringing for the start of a drearier one.

The bronze clashed against bronze as L stood in the snow just like he'd done 2 years ago, clutching the hand of an older man who'd stick by him for the rest of his life but would never come close to replacing the man who'd stuck by him those two faithful years.

L Lawliet, foster kid of a detective whose name no one bothered to remember and probably never would be, orphan, boy, soon to be world's next greatest detective.

So many statements shouting out the future of the young boy dubbed as 'Ru-chan', all drowned out by the ringing of the bells.

The End

A/N: Oh man…this sucks. Majorly. Now I got to go and write sequels explaining everything! Dammit!


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